Door lock/camera apparatus, system and method

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments of an integrated wireless door lock and camera are disclosed. A wireless door lock comprises a camera that is activated upon the occurrence of certain events, such as when a person approaches a door where the integrated wireless door lock and camera are installed or when a doorbell is pressed. When activated, the camera sends video or still images to a networked user device for viewing an area outside, proximate to the door. If the person in the viewable area is recognized, a wireless signal may be sent to the integrated wireless door lock and camera to unlock the door.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/649,143, filed on Jul. 13, 2017, which claims the benefit ofprovisional application No. 62/480,984, filed on Apr. 3, 2017, both ofwhich are hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND I. Field of Use

The present application relates to the home security and home monitoringindustry. More specifically, the present application relates toelectronic door locks and cameras.

II. Description of the Related Art

Doorbell cameras have become very popular in recent years. These devicestypically comprise a housing that contains a pushbutton, a digitalcamera and wireless transmission circuitry that begins transmittingdigital images or video from the camera upon activation by thepushbutton.

Electronic door locks are also becoming quite popular. These lockstypically comprise a Wi-Fi receiver and a locking mechanism that locksor unlocks a door based on signals received by the Wi-Fi receiver.

While each of the items above provide convenience for homeowners, thecost of each one is typically over $150, and often $200, making the costof having both relatively expensive.

SUMMARY

The embodiments described herein relate to apparatus, systems andmethods related to an integrated wireless door lock and cameraapparatus. In one embodiment, and apparatus is described, comprising thecamera for providing video or still images of an area in proximity to adoor of a residence, a receiver for receiving wireless signals, aelectromechanical locking assembly, a memory for storingprocessor-executable instructions, a transmitter for transmitting thevideo or still images to a local-area network, and a processor, coupledto the camera, the receiver, the electromechanical locking assembly, thememory and the transmitter for executing the processor-executableinstructions that causes the apparatus to receive, by the processor, anactivation signal and provide the activation signal to the processor, inresponse to receiving the activation signal, activate, by the processor,the camera, activate, by the processor, the camera to provide the videoor one or more of the still images, and transmit, by the processor viathe transmitter, the video or one or more of the still images to thelocal-area network.

In another embodiment, an integrated wireless door lock and cameraapparatus is described, comprising the camera for providing video orstill images of an area in proximity to a door of a residence, amicrophone for receiving sound pressure waves and for converting thesound pressure waves into electrical signals, a electromechanicallocking assembly, a memory for storing processor-executableinstructions, a transmitter for transmitting the video or still imagesto a local-area network, and a processor, coupled to the camera, themicrophone, the electromechanical locking assembly, the memory and thetransmitter for executing the processor-executable instructions thatcauses the apparatus to receive, by the processor via the microphone,the electrical signals, determine, by the processor, that the electricsignals represent an audible doorbell chime, in response to determiningthe electric signals represent an audible doorbell chime by theprocessor, activate the camera to provide the video or one or more ofthe still images, and transmit, by the processor via the transmitter,the video or one or more of the still images to a local-area network.

In yet another embodiment, a method performed by an integrated wirelessdoor lock and camera apparatus is described, comprising receiving, by aprocessor, an input signal, determine, by the processor, that the inputsignal is indicative of a person in proximity to the apparatus, inresponse to determining that the input signal is indicative of a personin proximity to the apparatus, activating, by the processor, the camerato provide a video or one or more still images, and transmitting, by theprocessor via a transmitter, the video or one or more of the stillimages to a local-area network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features, advantages, and objects of the embodiments of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the detailed description as setforth below, when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which likereferenced characters identify correspondingly throughout, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a door of a residence having an electronicdoor lock assembly (EDLA) installed thereon, the EDLA comprising acamera;

FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of an EDLA;

FIG. 2B illustrates a close-up view of another embodiment of an EDLA;

FIG. 3 illustrates a functional block diagram of one embodiment of theEDLA as shown in FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a methodperformed by an EDLA for providing digital or still images of an areaoutside of a door upon activation by an activity occurring in an areaproximate to the door;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a residence having an EDLA installed onto adoor of the residence, where EDLA receives activation signals from adoorbell located in proximity to the door; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a residence having an EDLA installed onto adoor of the residence, where EDLA receives activation signals fromaudible doorbell chimes from a receiver inside the residence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application describes various embodiments of an integratedelectronic door lock and digital camera combination. In one embodiment,the camera is dormant until activated by some kind of external activity,such as by activation of a wireless doorbell by a person outside a door.Integration of these two, common consumer electronic devices providesfor a lower cost than the two devices would otherwise cost separately.As such, the lower cost may enable sales professionals to offer such anintegrated device to customers as an incentive to purchase other homeelectronic devices and systems, such as security systems, homeautomation and monitoring systems, etc. Another advantage of combining awireless door lock with a digital camera is that some of the componentsthat exist in a wireless door lock can be used to support camerafunctionality. For example, any wireless door lock already comprises awireless receiver. Thus, a separate receiver generally does not have tobe used to support the camera functionality.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a door 100 of a residence having anelectronic door lock assembly (EDLA) EDLA 102 installed thereon, EDLA102 comprising a camera that, in one embodiment, is activated by anactivity occurring in proximity to 100. For example, the activity maycomprise ringing doorbell 104 or simply a person walking up to door 100.In one embodiment, when doorbell 104 comprises a wireless doorbell andis activated, i.e., pressed by a person standing outside door 100, awireless signal is transmitted from doorbell 104 to a paired doorbellreceiver inside the home which causes an audible notification thatsomeone is outside of door 100. The same wireless signal is received bya receiver disposed inside of EDLA 102. Upon receipt of the wirelesssignal from doorbell 104, the camera becomes activated, and atransmitter disposed inside EDLA 102 transmits a video stream and/or oneor more still images from the camera showing an area outside of door100. The video stream and/or image(s) may be transmitted to a local-areanetwork, such as a home Wi-Fi network, where it can then be provided toany number of devices, such as computers, smart phones, tablets, etc.,for viewing, either inside of the home or remotely. EDLA 102 may then beremotely operated to unlock door 100. With this system, when doorbell104 is pressed, family members can see who is outside of door 100 beforeanswering, or can remotely unlock the door if they recognize the personringing the doorbell.

In one embodiment, doorbell 104 comprises a pre-existing, standard,wired doorbell that is hard-wired to a doorbell unit inside a home. Inthis embodiment, EDLA 102 comprises a microphone, typically located on asurface of EDLA 102 inside the home. When doorbell 104 is pressed, thedoorbell unit inside the home creates an audible doorbell notification,typically a familiar, two-tone, “ding dong” sound. The audiblenotification is received by the microphone, which in turn activates thecamera.

In yet another embodiment, where doorbell 104 again comprises apre-existing, standard, wired doorbell, EDLA 102 does not comprise amicrophone, but instead relies on an RF receiver to receive a doorbellnotification signal from a transmitter coupled to the doorbell unit. Inthis embodiment, when doorbell 104 is pressed, the transmitter insidethe doorbell unit is triggered, which in turn generates an RF doorbellnotification signal that is transmitted to the receiver inside EDLA 102.The RF doorbell notification signal is used to activate the camera.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of one embodiment EDLA 102 as shownin FIG. 1. In this embodiment, EDLA 102 comprises a housing 202, tactileinput 204-212, and camera lens 214. The housing EDLA 102 is installedonto a door, just as any other door lock would be. However, insidehousing EDLA 102 is a wireless receiver for receiving wireless signalsfrom doorbell 104 and/or from a home local-area network. The housingEDLA 102 additionally comprises a camera inside, coupled to lens 214, inorder to obtain video or still images of an area surrounding door 100.Tactile input 204-212 comprises numbers and/or letters and/or othersymbols imprinted on either physical pushbuttons or displayed on adigital display to allow manual locking and unlocking of EDLA 102, aswell-known in the art. It should be understood that in otherembodiments, other physical arrangements are possible without departingfrom the inventive principles described herein. For example, a greaternumber of tactile input could be used, or they could be arranged in adifferent manner, or a keyhole could be used instead of the tactileinput. In other embodiments, camera lens 214 could be located in adifferent area of the housing EDLA 102, for example, at the top ofhousing EDLA 102.

FIG. 3 illustrates a functional block diagram of one embodiment of EDLA102. Shown is processor 300, memory 302, camera 304, receiver 306,transmitter 308, electromechanical locking assembly 310, optionalpassive infra-red (PIR) sensor 312 and optional transducer 314. Itshould be understood that the blocks shown in FIG. 3 could be arrangedin different manners in other embodiments. For example, camera 304 couldhave an integrated transmitter, thus eliminating the need fortransmitter 308.

Processor 300 is typically a microprocessor or microcontroller thatexecutes processor-executable code stored in memory 302, for providinggeneral operation of the electronic door lock. Processor 300 isgenerally selected based on design requirements such as powerconsumption, computational power, and cost.

Memory 302 comprises one or more information storage devices such asROM, RAM, Flash, or other type of electronic, optical or mechanicalelectronic storage mediums, or any combination thereof. Memory 302 isused to store processor-executable instructions for operation of EDLA102, and, in some embodiments, information used to allow locking andunlocking of door 100 via electromechanical locking assembly 310, suchas an alpha-numeric code to lock/unlock door 100, permitted entry times,information for identifying permitted users of EDLA 102, etc. It willalso be appreciated that memory 302 may be physically incorporatedwithin the same IC chip as processor 300.

Camera 304 comprises and lens 214 and circuitry for generating digitalimages or digital video from signals received from camera lens 214.Camera 304 may be integrated with processor 300, or it may comprise acommercially-available OEM package for integration with processor 300,or some other arrangement well-known in the art. In some embodiments,lens 214 comprises a “fish eye” lens, capable of capturing a wide-angleview of an area outside of door 100.

Receiver 306 comprises circuitry necessary to receive wireless signalstransmitted from doorbell 104 (“activation signals”) and provide them toprocessor 300. The circuitry may further be capable of receivingwireless signals from a local-area network, such as a home Wi-Finetwork, for receiving commands from remote users to activate/deactivatecamera 304 and/or to operate electromechanical locking assembly 310 tolock or unlock door 100. Doorbell 104 typically transmits activationsignals at consumer-based frequencies, such as between 300 Mhz to 433Mhz, or 900 Mhz, in accordance with one of many well-known, low powerwireless communication standards. In other embodiments, doorbell 104comprises a transmitter that is specially chosen to operate inconjunction with EDLA 102. For example, doorbell 104 may comprise both aWi-Fi transmitter for transmitting a signal to a receiver inside a home,causing a doorbell to sound, and a Bluetooth LE transmitter forproviding an activation signal to EDLA 102 to activate camera 304.Receiver 306 may operate in a dormant state most of the time and “wakeup” periodically to listen for wireless signals from doorbell 104 or forwireless signals from a local-area wireless network, in order to savebattery life. The circuitry may support one or more well-knowncommunication protocols, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy,RF, Zigbee, Z-wave or some other communication protocol.

Transmitter 308 transmits digital video and/or still images provided bycamera 304 to a local-area network, such as a home Wi-Fi router, alsoknown as a gateway or residential gateway. Such circuitry is well knownin the art and may comprise Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, RF,Zigbee, Z-wave, among others.

Electromechanical locking assembly 310 comprises an electromechanicalmechanism that may be operated locally, i.e., by a person standingoutside the door using the tactile input 204-212 and, typically, viawireless signals received from users over the local area network and/ordirectly from a user's phone. Electromechanical locking assembly 310generally comprises an electric motor that drives a deadbolt or otherlatching mechanism into an open or closed position when either a remotecommand is received or when a user standing outside of the door enters acorrect code via tactile input 204-212.

Passive infra-red (PIR) sensor 312 is an optional, well-known infra-redsensor that detects infra-red light radiating from people, and drawsminimal power to operate. It is ideally suited for a battery-operateddevice such as EDLA 102. When PIR 312 detects the presence of a personapproaching door 100, a signal is provided to processor 300 which mayactivate camera 304 in response to receiving the signal. PIR 312 may beused alternatively, or in addition to, receiver 306 for receivingwireless signals from doorbell 104.

Transducer 314 provides for activation of camera 304 in embodimentswhere an RF signal is not available from doorbell 104, i.e., whendoorbell 104 comprises a standard, wired doorbell. In one embodiment,transducer 314 comprises an acoustic transducer, such as a microphone,for converting sound pressure waves (such as the familiar “ding dong” ofa doorbell chime, knocking sounds as a person knocks on door 100, etc.)into electrical signals. There are a wide variety of small, low-costmicrophones on the market that would be ideally suited to receive soundwaves created by an indoor doorbell unit when doorbell 104 is pressed,in embodiments where doorbell 104 comprises a standard, wired doorbell.Such microphones may comprise well-known piezoelectric microphones forexample. In another embodiment, transducer 314 comprises a shock and/orvibration sensor to detect shock waves and/or vibrations from door 100as a person knocks on door 100. Such shock/vibration sensors are widelyavailable on the market and feature low cost and low power consumption.The shock/vibration sensor can provide signals to processor 300 todetermine whether a sensed shock and/or vibration is representative of adoor knock or some other jostling of door 100.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a methodperformed by EDLA 102 for providing digital or still images of an areaoutside door 100 upon activation by an activity occurring in an areaproximate to door 100. The method is implemented by processor 300located within EDLA 102, executing processor-executable instructionsstored in memory 302. It should be understood that in some embodiments,not all of the steps shown in FIG. 4 are performed and that the order inwhich the steps are carried out may be different in other embodiments.It should be further understood that some minor method steps have beenomitted for purposes of clarity.

At block 400, EDLA 102 is installed into door 100 and is in a dormant orquiescent state, where camera 304 is unpowered or deactivated in orderto preserve battery life of EDLA 102. EDLA 102 is coupled to alocal-area network inside a home via, in this example, a home Wi-Figateway.

In one embodiment, at block 402, EDLA 102 performs a “learn” of wirelesssignals generated by doorbell 104 in order to identify a doorbellactivation signal from doorbell 104. The doorbell activation signal, inone embodiment, comprises a wireless signal generated by a doorbell thatactivates a doorbell via a doorbell receiver inside a residence.Doorbell 104 may comprise one of a number of doorbells on the market,many having different RF and/or data protocols. Thus, the “learn” allowsEDLA 102 to identify an activation signal generated by a particulardoorbell.

The learn process begins by a user placing EDLA 102 into a learn mode ofoperation, either by using one or more of a predetermined sequence oftactile input 204-212, or by wirelessly sending a command to EDLA 102 toenter a learn mode via a networked user device, such as a computer,smart phone, tablet, or other networked consumer device. Once in learnmode, doorbell 104 is pressed at least one time, generating arepresentative doorbell activation signal in accordance with theparticular doorbell installed proximate to door 100. The representativedoorbell activation signal is received by processor 300, digitized andstored in memory 302. The learn mode is then exited, eitherautomatically after storage of the doorbell activation signal, ormanually via user input via tactile input 204-212 or by a wirelesscommand.

At block 404, a person approaches door 100.

At block 406, in one embodiment, PIR 312 detects the presence of theperson as the person approaches door 100, using traditional methodswell-known in the art. PIR 312 generates a camera activation signal upondetecting the presence of a person, which is provided to processor 300.The camera activation signal activates or enables camera 304, orotherwise provides video or one or more still images to processor 300from camera 304.

At block 408, in another embodiment that does not utilize PIR 312 anddoorbell 104 comprises a wireless doorbell, the presence of the personis determined by receiving a doorbell activation signal directly fromdoorbell 104 when the person presses, or activates, doorbell 104. FIG. 5illustrates this embodiment, showing a block diagram of components in aresidence 500 that support this embodiment. In this embodiment, thecamera activation signal comprises the doorbell activation signal. Uponactivation, doorbell 104 transmits a doorbell activation signal 502 to apaired doorbell receiver unit 504 inside residence 500. The doorbellactivation signal 502 is received by a wireless receiver 506 locatedinside paired doorbell receiver unit 504, causing an electromagneticdoorbell chime 508 to sound. Typically, both wireless receiver 506 anddoorbell chime 508 receive power from transformer 510, which convertshousehold AC voltage to a lower voltage, such as 12 VAC. The paireddoorbell receiver unit 504 may also cause a notification 512 to be sentover the local-area network via transmitter 516 and residentialrouter/gateway 514, as well as a wide-area network, such as the Internet(not shown), of the presence of a person outside of door 100, asindicated by the doorbell press. The doorbell activation signal 502 maybe transmitted at consumer-based frequencies, such as between 300 Mhz to433 Mhz, 900 Mhz, etc., in accordance with one of many well-known, lowpower wireless communication standards. The doorbell activation signal502 transmitted by doorbell 104 is also received by receiver 306,demodulated, and then provided to processor 300. In one embodiment,processor 300 determines whether the doorbell activation signal matchesa doorbell activation signal stored in memory 302 from block 402 bycomparing the received doorbell activation signal to the one stored inmemory 302. If a match if determined, processor 300 considers thedoorbell activation signal from doorbell 104 to be a camera activationsignal. If not, the doorbell activation signal is ignored.

At block 410, in other embodiment, again referencing FIG. 5, receiver306 receives a camera activation signal 520 to activate the camera notdirectly from doorbell 104, but indirectly, from the local-area network,i.e. from a networked user device 518 through router/gateway 514. Inthis embodiment, when doorbell 104 is activated, doorbell activationsignal 502 is transmitted from doorbell 104 to a receiver 506 insidepaired doorbell receiver unit 504, either directly, or via thelocal-area network, which may cause doorbell chime 508 to sound.Transmitter 516 may transmit a notification 512 to router/gateway 514for transmission to networked user device 518, which comprises acomputer, smart phone, tablet, or similar networked consumer device. Inany case, when networked user device 518 is notified that a person isapproaching/in front of door 100, a camera activation signal may begenerated by networked user device 518, either autonomously or viamanual user input, and transmitted to receiver 306 via therouter/gateway 514 to begin providing video/images from camera 304.

At block 412, in yet still another embodiment, camera 304 may beactivated remotely by a user anytime the user desires to view the areajust outside of door 100. In this embodiment, receiver 306 receives acamera activation command from a networked user device viarouter/gateway 514 to activate camera 304, which is sent to processor300. Processor 300 then activates the camera and causes digitalvideo/images to be transmitted to the user via transmitter 308 androuter/gateway 514.

At block 414, in yet still another embodiment, depicted in FIG. 6 inblock diagram format, transducer 314 is used, and comprises a microphonefor receiving an audible doorbell chime from doorbell chime 508 whendoorbell 104 is activated. In this embodiment, doorbell 104 comprises astandard, wired doorbell having no wireless communication capabilities,hard-wired to paired doorbell receiver unit 504 via conductor 600, suchas an insulated wire. When a person rings doorbell 104, a signal is sentvia conductor 600 to paired doorbell receiver unit 504 which, in thiscase, does not possess any wireless communication capabilities. Inresponse to receiving the signal from doorbell 104, chime 508 sounds oneor more audible tones, such as the familiar “ding dong” of a standarddoorbell. The audible tones are received by transducer 314, whichconverts the audible tones into electrical signals and provided toprocessor 300. In some embodiments, the electrical signals fromtransducer 314 are converted into digital signals, as well-known in theart. Processor 300 receives the signal from transducer 314 anddetermines whether the signal is indicative of audible tones fromdoorbell chime 508. This may be accomplished in a number of ways. Forexample, a filter and/or amplifier could be used to isolate the expectedfrequency(s) of the audible tone(s) form doorbell chime 508. Then, ifany signal is received by processor 300, processor 300 may determinethat doorbell chime 508 was activated. In another embodiment, EDLA 102can enter a learn mode of operation, similar to the learn mode describedearlier, where one in learn mode, doorbell 104 is activated, and EDLA102 records a digital representation of the resulting, representativeaudible tones from doorbell chime 508 in memory 302. EDLA 102 is thenplaced into a normal mode of operation, and then processor 300 comparessignals received from transducer 314 to the reference tone(s) stored inmemory to determine whether a match is present. If so, this indicatesthat doorbell 104 was activated, and processor 300 activates camera 304as a result, as explained in the following paragraph. One highlydesirable aspect of this embodiment is that EDLA 102 may be used with anexisting, hard-wired, standard doorbell.

In another embodiment where transducer 314 comprises a microphone, thepresence of a person outside of door 100 may be detected by receivingaudible knocking sounds as the person knocks on door 100. In thisembodiment, sounds from transducer 314 are provided to processor 300,and processor 300 determines whether the sounds are indicative of aperson knocking on a door. This may be accomplished by determining twoor more “pulses” of sound at a relatively low frequency, spaced apartfrom one another by approximately 200-500 milliseconds, or generally atime between when most people knock on doors. Upon detecting that aknocking sound is present, processor 300 activates camera 304 inresponse.

In yet still another embodiment, transducer 314 is used and comprises ashock and/or vibration sensor used to detect shock waves and/ormechanical vibrations of door 100 as a person knocks on door 100. Inthis embodiment, mechanical shock and/or vibration signals are receivedby transducer 314 and converted into electrical signals which areprovided to processor 300. Processor 300 then determines whether thesignals from transducer 314 are indicative of a person knocking on adoor or attempting to open the door by attempting to turn a knob ordeadbolt of door 100. This may be accomplished by determining thefrequency and magnitude of the shock and/or vibration signals. Memory302 may store one or more representative samples of shock and/orvibration characteristics expected when someone knocks on a door orotherwise attempts to open a door. In this case, processor 300 maycompare the signals from transducer 314 to the one or morerepresentative shock/vibration samples stored in memory 302. If a matchis found, processor 300 determines that someone is outside of door 100and activates camera 304 in response. In another embodiment, one or moresamples of shock/vibration can be recorded in memory 302 during a“learn” process, by placing EDLA 102 into a learn mode of operation andthen knocking on or jostling door 100 to capture resultingrepresentative shock and/or vibration signals. Processor 300 may usemetrics similar to those described earlier with respect to transducer314 comprising a microphone, looking for shock/vibration signals atrelatively large amplitudes from quiescent levels, spaced apart byapproximately 200-500 milliseconds, or generally a time between whenmost people knock on doors.

At block 416, in any of the aforementioned embodiments, in response toreceiving the camera activation signal (i.e., the motion signal from PIR312, the doorbell activation signal, audible tone(s), or one of theother signals discussed above by receiver 306), processor 300 enables orotherwise activates camera 306 and begins receiving digital video or oneor more still images from camera 306. The video or still image(s) showan area proximate to door 100, including a face of the person is nowstanding in front of door 100.

At block 418, processor 300 causes the digital video/image(s) to betransmitted via transmitter 308 to the local-area network via the Wi-Figateway and on to end devices, such as one or more of computers, smartphones, tablets, etc. for remote viewing by a homeowner and/or anyfamily members or occupants of the home. Processor 300 may stoptransmitting the video/images after a predetermined time period, such as5 seconds, or it may stop transmitting when a signal is received viareceiver 306 from a user, indicating that the user does not wish tocontinue receiving the video/images.

At block 420, a user inside the home receives the video and/or stillimage(s) via a networked user device and reviews them to see who is atdoor 100. In response, the user may send a command, via the networkeduser device and the Wi-Fi gateway, to unlock door 100.

At block 422, the command to unlock door 100 is received by receiver 306and provided to processor 300.

At block 424, in response to receiving the unlock command, processor 300causes electromechanical locking assembly 310 to activate, thus causinga mechanical obstruction, such as a deadbolt, to move into an unlockedposition.

While the foregoing disclosure shows illustrative embodiments of theinvention, it should be noted that various changes and modificationscould be made herein without departing from the scope of the embodimentsas defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, although elements of theinvention may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural iscontemplated unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated.

We claim:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: a camera for providing video orstill images of an area in proximity to a door of a residence; areceiver for receiving wireless signals; an electromechanical lockingassembly for unlocking the door; a memory for storingprocessor-executable instructions; a transmitter for transmitting thevideo or still images to a local-area network; and a processor, coupledto the camera, the receiver, the electromechanical locking assembly, thememory and the transmitter for executing the processor-executableinstructions that causes the apparatus to: receive, by the processor viathe receiver, a camera activation signal; in response to receiving thecamera activation signal, activate, by the processor, the camera;transmit, by the processor via the transmitter, the video or one or moreof the still images to the local-area network; receive, by the processorvia the receiver in response to transmitting the video or one or more ofthe still images, a command to unlock the door; and activate, by theprocessor in response to receiving the command to unlock the door, theelectromechanical locking assembly to place the electromechanicallocking assembly into an unlocked position.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the camera activation signal comprises a doorbell activationsignal generated by a wireless doorbell proximate to the door, whereinthe doorbell activation signal activates a doorbell receiver inside theresidence.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera activationsignal is received from a local-area network inside the residence, thecamera activation signal transmitted by the local-area network inresponse to receiving a signal from a networked user device.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein the networked user device comprises awireless doorbell proximate to the door, and the signal comprises adoorbell activation signal transmitted by the wireless doorbell.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, further comprising a passive infra-red (PIR)sensor coupled to the processor, wherein the camera activation signal isreceived from the PIR sensor in response to the PIR sensor detecting thepresence of a person in proximity to the door.
 6. The apparatus of claim1, further comprising: a microphone; wherein the camera activationsignal comprises an acoustic doorbell chime generated by a doorbellreceiver inside the premises, the processor-executable instructionsfurther comprise instructions that cause the apparatus to: enter a learnmode of operation; receive, by the processor via the microphone, theacoustic doorbell chime; store, by the processor, the acoustic doorbellchime in the memory; exit the learn mode of operation; receive, by themicrophone, an acoustic signal; and determine, by the processor, thatthe acoustic signal comprises the camera activation signal when theacoustic signal matches the acoustic doorbell chime stored in thememory.
 7. An integrated wireless door lock and camera apparatus,comprising: the camera for providing video or still images of an area inproximity to a door of a residence; a transducer for receiving acoustic,shock or vibration signals and for converting the acoustic, shock orvibration signals into electronic signals; a electromechanical lockingassembly for unlocking the door; a receiver for receiving wirelesssignals to unlock the electromechanical locking assembly; a memory forstoring processor-executable instructions; a transmitter fortransmitting the video or still images to a local-area network; and aprocessor, coupled to the camera, the transducer, the electromechanicallocking assembly, the memory and the transmitter for executing theprocessor-executable instructions that causes the apparatus to: receive,by the processor via the transducer, the electronic signals; determine,by the processor, that the electronic signals are indicative of a personoutside of the door; in response to determining that the electronicsignals are indicative of a person outside of the door, activate, by theprocessor, the camera; transmit, by the processor via the transmitter,the video or one or more of the still images to a local-area network;receive, by the processor via the receiver in response to transmittingthe video or one or more of the still images, a command to unlock thedoor; and activate, by the processor in response to receiving thecommand to unlock the door, the electromechanical locking assembly toplace the electromechanical locking assembly into an unlocked position.8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: a mechanical doorbellhard-wired to a doorbell receiving unit inside the residence, thedoorbell receiving unit for generating an acoustic doorbell chime whenthe doorbell is pressed; wherein the processor-executable instructionsfurther cause the apparatus to: convert, by the transducer, the doorbellchime into the electronic signals; determine, by the processor, that theelectronic signals represent the doorbell chime; and activate, by theprocessor, the camera when the electronic signals represent the doorbellchime.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the instructions that causethe processor to determine that the electronic signals represent aperson outside of the door comprise instructions that cause theapparatus to: store, by the processor in the memory, a representativeaudible doorbell chime in the memory while in a learn mode of operation;compare, by the processor, the electronic signals to the representativeaudible doorbell chime stored in the memory; and determine that theelectronic signals represent a person outside of the door when theelectronic signals match the representative audible doorbell chimestored in the memory.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein thetransducer comprises a shock sensor, wherein the instructions that causethe processor to determine that the electronic signals represent aperson outside of the door comprise instructions that cause theapparatus to: receive, by the shock sensor, a shock wave from the doorand convert the shock wave into the electronic signals; determine, bythe processor, that the electronic signals represent a person knockingon the door; and activate, by the processor, the camera when theelectronic signals represent a person knocking on the door.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 7, wherein the transducer comprises a microphone,wherein the instructions that cause the processor to determine that theelectronic signals represent a person outside of the door compriseinstructions that cause the apparatus to: receive, by the microphone, anacoustic signal and convert the acoustic signal into the electronicsignals; determine, by the processor, that the electronic signalsrepresent a sound of a person knocking on the door; and activate, by theprocessor, the camera when the electronic signals represent a personknocking on the door.
 12. A method performed by an integrated wirelessdoor lock and camera apparatus, comprising: receiving, by a transducer,a physical disturbance and converting the physical disturbance into anelectronic input signal; determining, by a processor coupled to thetransducer, that the electronic input signal is indicative of a personin proximity to the apparatus; in response to determining that theelectronic input signal is indicative of a person in proximity to theapparatus, activating, by the processor, a camera coupled to theprocessor to generate a video or one or more still images; transmitting,by the processor via a transmitter coupled to the processor, the videoor one or more of the still images to a local-area network; receiving,by the processor, in response to transmitting the video or one or moreof the still images, a command to unlock an electromechanical lockingassembly coupled to the processor; and activating, by the processor, theelectromechanical locking assembly to unlock the door in response toreceiving the command.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the physicaldisturbance comprises an audible doorbell chime as a result of adoorbell being activated, wherein the method for determining that theelectronic input signal is indicative of a person in proximity to theapparatus comprises: determining, by the processor, that the electronicinput signal is indicative of the audible doorbell chime.
 14. The methodof claim 12, wherein the physical disturbance comprises a mechanicalshock received by the transducer as a result of a person knocking on thedoor, wherein the method for determining that the electronic inputsignal is indicative of a person in proximity to the apparatuscomprises: determining, by the processor, that the electronic inputsignal is indicative of a person knocking on the door.
 15. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the physical disturbance comprises infra-red energy,wherein the method for determining that the electronic input signal isindicative of a person in proximity to the apparatus comprises:determining, by the processor, that the electronic input signal isindicative of a person moving in proximity to the door.
 16. A methodperformed by an integrated wireless door lock and camera apparatusmounted to a door of a residence, comprising: receiving, by a wirelessreceiver, a wireless signal and converting the wireless signal into anelectronic input signal; determining, by the processor, that theelectronic input signal is indicative of a person in proximity to theapparatus; in response to determining that the electronic input signalis indicative of a person in proximity to the apparatus, activating, bythe processor, a camera coupled to the processor to generate a video orone or more still images; transmitting, by the processor via atransmitter coupled to the processor, the video or one or more of thestill images to a local-area network; receiving, by the processor, inresponse to transmitting the video or one or more of the still images, acommand to unlock an electromechanical locking assembly coupled to theprocessor; and activating, by the processor, the electromechanicallocking assembly to unlock the door in response to receiving thecommand.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless signalcomprises a doorbell activation signal generated by a wireless doorbellproximate to the door, wherein the doorbell activation signal activatesa doorbell receiver inside the residence.
 18. The method of claim 16,wherein the wireless signal comprises a Wi-Fi signal from a wirelessrouter inside the residence, the Wi-Fi signal transmitted by thewireless router in response to the wireless router receiving a signalfrom a networked user device.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein thenetworked user device comprises a wireless doorbell proximate to thedoor, and the signal comprises a doorbell activation signal transmittedby the wireless doorbell that activates a doorbell chime located insidethe residence.